25 Courses

Welcome to Refashion My Town’s upcycled Denim Design competition! Refashion My Town is a social enterprise based in Chippenham. Our mission is to help and encourage young people to make a positive social and environmental impact through fashion. Our goal is to highlight the impact that fast fashion has on the environment and while doing so, we aim to help young people reduce, reuse, refashion and mend more. And what better way to start is by participating and joining our Upcycled Denim Design Competition!  Why Denim? Denim has become an integral part of everyday life, but it wasn’t always like that. Denim was long known to be worn by working class individuals such as miners, railroad workers and even labourers, before booming into a fashion trend that had not ceased to stop. Now you see denim worn by nearly everyone across the globe due to its easy and comfortable wear. However, denim has done more than become a global fashion trend, it has also contributed to the slow destruction of the environment. Most demin products are made with an overwhelmingly large number of dyes that are highly toxic and damaging. Denim also relies on cotton that needs lots of water and pesticides to grow. Pesticides are harmful to human health and can become an environmental risk but that is just one part of the problem. The production of one pair of jeans could require up to 80 gallons of water which is around 360 litres. This is a lot! This is why here at Refashion my Town, we want young people to reduce, reuse, refashion and mend more to combat the issues the fashion industry has on society and environment. Our upcycled Denim design competition is open to 14-18 year olds on Friday 22nd April 2022 and submissions will close on Monday 5th September 2022. This competition requires you to EITHER:  A. A 3-minute video explaining the concept, inspiration, and idea of your upcycled denim design. We would like to see a mock-up of your design within your presentation, as well as before and after of the material used. You can also include a completed final product or garment but this is optional.  Or B. 1 x A3 sheet with design concept 1 x A3 sheet with design development 1 x A3 sheet with final design including before and after Mock-up of final design ( Final product - optional ).  Please note: this is a design ( NOT sewing ) competition, so entries will mainly be judged based on creative flair and out of the box thinking, rather than technical sewing skills. So play and have fun developing your ideas. There will be FIVE judges of the competition:  • Liz Alstrom - Mayor of Chippenham • Rachel Sheila Kan - Founder, Circular earth  • Yvonne Skelton - Head of textiles, Bath College • Melissa Barnett - Curator, Chippenham Museum  • Tricia Morris - Mending and Upcycling Expert, Morrissews. All entrants have access to materials and trimmings from Refashion My Town. Refashion My Town will also have FREE drop-in sessions every Friday at 3.30 - 5 pm, starting 29th April, to help entrants develop their ideas and if necessary, learn new skills to complete their entries. 

5 Week course using drawing as a process to play with both traditional materials and textile processes, to develop playfulness and experimentation as a tool for design and art directions.

"Motanka" is a traditional Slavic doll, which was not only a toy, but had many spiritual functions like protecting the household from evil spirits and ensuring fertility. Historically, it was made from old fabric scraps, even baby clothes that had some sentimental valueDuring the 2 hour workshop, we will learn basic principles of making such doll. You are more than welcome to bring your own scraps of fabrics, we will be working entirely with upcycled materials and no sewing skills are required as this project only involves very minimal or no stitching.The doll could be used both as a toy or as an ornament. It may be the beginning of exploring your spirituality, roots and folk art and craft linked to fertility and protection, which is a vital element of all native cultures. This workshop is led by Anna Baran, a trauma informed designer, artist, and maker based in the north of Edinburgh. She has always drawn inspiration from the sea, with her walks to local beaches, particularly Wardie Bay during the lockdown, becoming not only a source of new ideas for her artistic practice but also a way to gather materials such as driftwood, pieces of plastic ropes, and seashells. Anna has consistently sought to incorporate upcycled materials into her art, using her work to raise environmental awareness and promote art as an accessible medium for self-expression, regardless of financial circumstances. In addition to participating in various art exhibitions and fashion-related events, she has delivered a wide range of art and craft workshops to diverse communities across Edinburgh. This FREE workshop is for Adults women only and is sponsored by CORRA and HENRY DUNCAN GRANTS By attending this class you release Anna Baran, Giada Gaslini and Art and Spirituality Cic, from any liability arising out of any personal injuries, emotional or physical release, death, physical reaction, expectations of results, theft in the venue or damages that may happen to people and objects while attending. Pictures will be taken during the workshop, if you prefer not to be in them, please inform the teacher.

Make a easy upcycled jumper/ fabric pumpkin and enjoy a halloween themed afternoon tea

Come and join us to learn this beautiful meditative technique and let your mind and body relax with your hands engaged in this amazing creative and mindful activity. Weaving is a technique that has existed for thousands of years, present in every culture across the globe. You can weave with various materials and we will be using only upcycled wool and other textile pieces. You are also more than welcome to bring your own fabric scraps or wool and incorporate them it into your project. During the 3 hours workshop, you will learn how to set up a basic weaving loom, see some examples, and discuss various possibilities how they could be incorporated into clothing and fashion projects. This workshop will familiarise you with basic weaving techniques. We will cover how to prepare a loom, the plain weave and the soumak stitch. You should be able to complete a small wall hanging about size A6 (4,1x5,8 inches) or a bookmark if you are a complete beginner. This workshop is led by Anna Baran, a trauma informed designer, artist, and maker based in the north of Edinburgh. She has always drawn inspiration from the sea, with her walks to local beaches, particularly Wardie Bay during the lockdown, becoming not only a source of new ideas for her artistic practice but also a way to gather materials such as driftwood, pieces of plastic ropes, and seashells. Anna has consistently sought to incorporate upcycled materials into her art, using her work to raise environmental awareness and promote art as an accessible medium for self-expression, regardless of financial circumstances. In addition to participating in various art exhibitions and fashion-related events, she has delivered a wide range of art and craft workshops to diverse communities across Edinburgh. This FREE workshop is for Adults women only and is sponsored by CORRA and HENRY DUNCAN GRANTS By attending this class you release Anna Baran, Giada Gaslini and Art and Spirituality Cic, from any liability arising out of any personal injuries, emotional or physical release, death, physical reaction, expectations of results, theft in the venue or damages that may happen to people and objects while attending. Pictures will be taken during the workshop, if you prefer not to be in them, please inform the teacher.